Some political parties and their candidates, participating in the forthcoming presidential and national assembly polls have signed a peace accord, as part of an effort to ensure violence-free elections on Saturday.
The peace pact was organised in Ibadan by the Independent State Based Peace Committee, which serves as Oyo State chapter of the National Peace Committee.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, the Oyo State Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Apostle Dare Ojo, said the peace pact was put together by the committee in collaboration with critical stakeholders to ensure that the election was held in an atmosphere of peace.
Ojo, also the chairman of the peace pact signing committee in Oyo State, urged all the contestants to put up the spirit of sportsmanship when one person emerges winner among them.
The Chairman, Oyo State Peace Committee, Rtd. Col. Joshua Akinyemiju, said that the committee sought to ensure that the political candidates document their commitment to ensure peace before, during and after forthcoming general elections.
Akinyemiju, who was represented by the Vice Chairman, Oyo State Peace Committee, Mrs Surura Oyero, expressed the optimism that various sensitisation programmes by the committee since its inception would definitely bring about violence free elections.
She noted that the committee had organised stakeholders engagement prior to the signing of peace pact which involved traditional rulers, religious leaders, Civil Society Organisations(CSO) and the youth groups to bring all stakeholders to the round table to have free and fair elections.
The chairman added that the stakeholders engagement also had the support and contribution of notable organisation, such as United Nations and Kukah Foundations, where all stakeholders agreed that there would be peace during the elections.
“We don’t have doubt in our hearts that things will work well at the polls, base on the level consultations, sensitisation and preparations put in place before now,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Adejobi Olaposi, the Assistant Director, National Orientation Agency, Oyo State, noted that signing of the peace pact was the assurance from the candidates and the political parties that citizens should not be afraid, but go out enmass to exercise their civil rights on the election day.
Some of the political parties that signed the peace pact included Zenith Labour Party(ZLP), People Redemption Party(PRP), Action Democratic Party(ADP) among others.
